Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango

A few months before the Histoire du Tango was published in 1986, Astor Piazzolla sent me a copy of the manuscript through the publisher, Editions Henry Lemoine.

This was preceded by a long history and the special relationship I had built with this great composer. Around 1955 – when I was a child – I heard his music for the first time and was immediately fascinated by its innovative rhythms and harmonies, which so truthfully brought to expression my hometown Buenos Aires. I played on the piano his first compositions and attended almost every concert Piazzolla performed.

Years later I created the Melos Ensemble de Buenos Aires, together with other soloists from the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional. We were pioneers in our non-traditional chamber music programming and were active in all kinds of alternative circuits that perfectly matched the ideals of the 60s. One of those unusual chamber music concert venues was the café-concert Michelangelo, which was inaugurated in 1969. My ensemble shared the stage with Astor Piazzolla and his quintet and we used to listen to each other’s performances. Piazzolla was interested in us, partly because our violinist, Szymsia Bajour, had been a member of his first quintet. In that year he wrote his Tango Seis for our ensemble.

Ever since, there was a very warm and collegial contact between Piazzolla and me, which we always sustained, even when the Netherlands became my new homeland. In the Netherlands, I did not miss a single concert of Piazzolla and I met him again at every performance. He always embraced me and called me ‘Jorgito’.

When he forwarded me the manuscript of the Histoire, it was, in my eyes, evidence of his confidence in me as an interpreter of his music. With great conviction, I have dedicated myself to the dissemination of this composition and of Piazzolla’s work in general. In most of my performances of Histoire du Tango, the acclaimed Argentinean guitarist Miguel Angel Girollet (1947-1996) was my partner.

Uncategorized

Welcome to my weblog about music, music-making, flute playing, and education.
As a solo flutist, chamber music player, orchestral musician, and flute and methodology teacher, I have more than fifty years of experience. I have also been the founder and conductor of
The Netherlands Flute Orchestra (Het Nederlands Fluitorkest).

My love for the flute has been a source of inspiration, pleasure, and even comfort to this day. On the other hand, the flute playing I very often hear does not suit me equally appealing.

In this blog, I summarize my thoughts on this aspect and share them with you.

It is needless to say that I use the acquired craftsmanship and vision during my lessons. Personally, however, I am most curious about who I have in front of me and what is his/her input. I want to find that unique that is present in everyone. I am convinced that everyone's individuality must determine the strategy to follow and not universal dogmas.

Together with you, I want to discover new and perhaps hidden possibilities to make your playing and music-making even better.

It does not matter whether you are a professional, an advanced amateur or a (member of) an ensemble.

The Dutch name of this website has two meanings: a. enjoyably playing flute and b. playing flute in a non-conformist way (transversal).
I book successes with being transverse (critical). That means that I eschew stone-carved laws.
It's all about human beings, not about 'the rules'.

Thank you for your visit.
Sincerely,

Jorge Caryevschi